YouTube’s school of journalism

That’s the journalism tip from New York Times foreign correspondent Nicholas Kristof, one of several veteran reporters who offer tutorials for citizen journalists on YouTube’s new Reporters’ Center. [Tip to TechCrunch]

Launched on Monday, the channel comes on the heels of the Iran protests — an upheaval that illustrated the vital role video and social media have played in covering news events. For example, when Iran barred journalists from covering the protests, mainstream media organizations turned to amateur web video and twitter messages. YouTube also helped highlight the 2008 quake in China and protests in Myanmar.

Interviewing 101 with Katie Couric

The Reporters’ Center may also signal mainstream journalists’ willingness to embrace and work with the community they have often criticized. Steve Grove, head of news and politics at YouTube said:

“As current events demonstrate on a daily basis, citizen-reporting on YouTube is a critical part of today’s media landscape — and the YouTube Reporters’ Center will help foster an even more productive relationship between professionals and these aspiring reporters.”

The tutorials are varied as the teacher-journalists. In Kristof’s piece, we see “people with big guns” as he meets a warlord. He also includes travel tips and a papaya stunt. Bob Woodward, the legendary reporter for the Washington Post, offers a straightforward tutorial on investigative journalism, while Arianna Huffington lauds the importance of citizen journalism. Other tutorials get back to basics, such as how to use a camcorder (plugging in mic, turning on the camera, etc.)